Vending machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l.. PETERS VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1940 MNM l l l April 7, 1942.

April 7, 1942. L. PETERS 2,279,093

VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 so 51 Z 30 Qualen/vbo@ 'L 01//5 PETERS Patented Apr. 7, i942v rUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDING MACHINE Louis Peters, Houston, Tex.

Application October 28, 1940, Serial No. 363,106 (c1. 31a-4s) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a vending machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described specially designed for vending articles of merchandise such as cartons or cans.

The invention has been particularly designed for dispensing cartons or containers of ice cream and cans containing cold drinks'although it is\ adaptable for vending articles generally.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described embodying a novel typeI of magazine for containing the articles to be sold. i

It is contemplated that a plurality of magazines will be assembled within a closed containerwhich will be equipped with a cooling coil or cold plate whereby the articles to be sold will be kept cool while in the magazines.

The invention also embodies electrically operable means `enabling the purchaser to select lol articles from any magazine desired, it being understood that said magazines may be loaded with diierent kinds of merchandise.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a coin controlled vending machine, the controlling mechanism being constructed so that a single article, or a definite quantity, of merchandise will be deliveredl at a time.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 shows an elevational view of the complete machine showing the near wall removed.

Figure 2 shows a front elevation.

Figure 3 shows a vertical, sectional view.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, sectional View.

Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the magazine taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the magazine on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 shows a wiring diagram.

Figure 8 shows an elevational view of an elec- -trical switch mechanism in closed position, and

Figure 9 shows an elevational view of said switch mechanism, partly in section, and in readiness to move to open position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of references designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates a suitable cabinet, or casing, which iscompletely closed and whose walls are suitably insulated.

In this cabinet there is one or more magazines A indicated by the numerals 2, 2a. These magazines are preferably arranged in coinciding relation as indicated in Figure l. They are of a sinuous shape as shown in Figure 3 so as to increase their capacity. Their upper ends are anchored to the top vof the cabinet in any suitable manner and their lower ends terminate immediately above suitable outlet openings 3 through the bottom of the cabinet. These outlet openings are normally closed by downwardly opening hinged shutters 4. The magazines are secured in spaced relation by means of a suitable cross-bar 5 attached thereto and their turns may be connected by the reinforcing straps E, E as shown in Figure 3. The top of the cabinet has the inlet, 0r filler, openings as l aligned above the upper ends of the respective magazines and through which the magazines may be loaded or lled and the openings -l are normally closed by the cover 8.

The turns of the magazines decline downwardly so that the articles of merchandise to be sold will be fed downwardly by gravity. v

As illustrated in the drawings there is a conventional type of cold plate 9 located in the magazine chamber through which a refrigerant is circulated. Beneath the magazine chamber there is a compartment within the cabinet wherein is located conventional refrigerating apparatus designated generally by the numeral I0 andv by means of which the refrigerant is circulated through the pipe ,Il to the cold plate and returned through the pipe I2. It is, of course, obvious that a cooling coil may be used instead of the cold plate and the plate orcoil may be located at any desired position in the magazine chamber.

At the lower end of each magazine said magazine is provided with aside slot I3 anda retainer, designated generally by the numeral I4, is provided for each magazine. These retainers are pivotally mounted between the overturned ears I5 carried by the magazines. The lower end of each retainer is formed into an inwardly extended arm I6 which extends through the corresponding slot I3 across the corresponding magazine and as the magazines are loaded this arm will prevent the discharge of the contents of the magazine. Each retainer has an Voutwardly extended lug Il to the free end-of which one end of a coil spring I8 is attached. The other end of this coil spring is attached to a suitable anchor as I3 "carried by the cabinet and this pull spring I3 holds the arm I3 normally projected across the .corresponding magazine.

It is contemplated that in some instances the articles to be sold will be, ci a truste-conical shape such, for example, as individual icecream cartons 23. In such event4 the magazine con-v taining this type of article will have an elevated track 2| at one side along which the small end ot the article will roll as it descends along` the the elevated track 2| will not be required.

At the front of the cabinet there is a hinged y shutter 23 on the inner side of which there is a coin chute 24 terminating at its upper end in a coin ,slot 23 and at its lower end it terminates above a suitable coin box or receiver 23. Coins inserted through: the slot 23 will drop down through the chute into the coin box.y The inner side of theshutter 23 also carries suitable electrical equipment for automatically releasing the selected article to be purchased upon the insertion of the coin and which will now.b e described.

This equipment embodies a source of electrical energy 21, such as a storage battery which is connected into the wiring circuit 23, 23.- This circuit includes the electromagnet 33. The conductor 23 leads from the battery and terminates in a contact point 3| and the conductor 23, into which the electromagnet 33 is incorporated, terminates in a pivotally mounted switch lever 32 whichy is normally held out of ycontact with the contact point 3| by a coil spring 33. The switch lever projects through a slot in one side of the coin chute and is in the path of the coin 33 moving downwardly through said chute. The weight of the coin will be sumcient to move the switch ylever 32 into contact with the contact point 3| and close the electrical circuit through the electromagnet 33. The core of this electromagnet is connected to one end of a lever 33 which is pivoted to the shutter at an intermediate point 31 so that when the electromagnet 33 is energized it will exert a pull on the end of the lever 33 to which its core is connected, overcoming the pull of a coil spring 33 which is connected at one end to the lever 33 and at its other end to a ilxed anchor on said shutter 23. The pull spring 33 is connected to the lever 33 on the same side of the pivot 31 as the connection of the core of the magnet 33, in said lever 33.

' There are the exible arms 33, 43 fixed at one end to the bracket 42 which is, secured to the inner side of said shutter 23. .A current conductor 4| connects the arm 43 with the conductor 23 and a current conductor 4|a-connects the arm 33 with a brush 43 mountedtn pivot on the shutter 23. This brush 43 may be moved into contact, successively, with the contact points 44, 43, 43 and 41, mounted on said shutter and from which the current conductors 43, 43, 33 and 3|, respectively, lead.

The flexible arms 33, 43 carry the opposing contact points 32, 33 and the free end of the arm- 33 is provided with an overturned lug 34 arranged opposite an elevated boss 33 on the auxiliary lever 33. This last mentioned lever is pivoted at one end on the pivot 31 and is normally held, by the pull spring 31, in alignment with the lever 33 as shown in Figure 7 with the boss-33 engag- 75 ing the lug u to hold the contact point t2 out of contact with the contact point 33 so that the circuit through the wiring 4|, 4|a will be broken. The coil spring 31 is connected at one end to the free end oi' the lever 33, and at its other end to a suitable anchor`on the shutter 23. When the lever 33 moves into alignment with the lever 33 it contacts againsta stop 33 on said lever 33 so that, after such contact, said levers will move together.

The doors 4 are connected tov their'corresponding arms |3 through links 33 and 'said doors 4 are connected to the cores of the respective electromagnets 33, 3|, 32 and 33 which mayvbe i'astened toa transverse bar 34 located beneath the magazine chamber oi' the cabinet I. The electromagnets 33 to 33, inclusive, are connected into the corresponding electrical conductors -43 to 3l, inclusive, said conductors being connected with the battery 21 and with the electrical conductor 23 as shown in Figure 7.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The customer may move the 'brush 43 into electrical connection with any of the contacts 44 to 41, inclusive, thus completing a circuit from the conductor 42 through the corresponding electromagnet of the series 33 to 33. The circuit will not be completed, however, until a coin is deposited in the slot 23 because the contact points 32, 33 are open, that is, they are out of contact as shown in Figure 7. The coin will drop down` through the coin chute 24 and will move the lever 32 into contact with the contact point 3| thus completing al circuit through theelectromagnet 33 which, being energized, will actuate the levers 33, 33 into position shown in Figure 8 moving the boss 35 away from the lug 34 and allowing the contact point 32 to come into contact with the contact point 53 thus completing a circuit through the electromagnet corresponding to the contact of, the series 44 to 41, inclusive, with which the brush 43 is then connected. The coin 33 will pass on and drop into the box 23 and the spring 33 will move the switcharm 32 back to original position breaking the circuit through the electromagnet 33 but the electromagnet of the series 33 to 33, inclusive, which has been energized, will im'mediately open the door, or shutter, 4 and will release the arm |3 from the article to be delivered allowing said article to drop down into the receiver 33 located in the cabinet chamber beneath, said released article being guided by the open door 4 into said receiver. v

The article sodelivered will be accesible to the purchaser through the opening 33 provided for the purpose. When the arm I3 hasbeen moved to released position to release the lower article in the corresponding magazine, the upper end of the retainer |4 will be moved inwardly toward the corresponding magazine. This upper end is formed with an inwardly directed dog 31 which will be projected through `the corresponding slot I3 in the path of the next succeeding article in the magazine above so as to retain the same against discharge thus insuring the discharge of a single article at a time. l

It is desirable to temporarily delay the breaking of the circuit through the electromagnet connected to the door.4 which has just been opened so that-said door will not close before the article of merchandise has been delivered into the receiver 33. For that reason a dash pot designated generally by the numeral 33'has been provided. It may comprise a closed cylinder 33a containing a uuid. Fitted within this container; is a plunger 69 having an upwardly opening cup 10 and having a restricted opening 1I therethrough. The

plunger has a stem 12 whose upper end is pivotally connected to the delay lever 56. When the switch arm 32 is released by the coin it will immediately return to its normal position, breaking the circuit through the electromagnet 36 and the spring 38 will immediately act'on the lever 36 and move said lever into the position indicated in Figure 9 with its end resting rmly against the arm 49 so as to hcld the contact points 52, 53 in rm Contact. When the lever 36 is acted 0n by the electromagnet the cup 'IIJ will allow the plunger 69 to move freely oiering substantially no resistance to the movement of the lever 56 and when the circuit through the electromagnet 30 is broken the spring 38 will immediately restore the lever 36 tothe original position as shown in Figure 9 but the dash pot will delay the return movement of the lever 56 because the cup will expand forcing the fluid toleak very slowly through the opening 1I.

The pull of the spring 51, ually return the delay lever 56 to its original position as shown in Figure 'I whereupon the boss 55 will contact with the lug 54 causing a correspondent movement of the flexible arm 39 and a separation of the contact points 52, 53 thus breaking the circuit through the electromagnet holding the shutter 4 open. 'Thereupon the spring I8 will act on the retainer I4 moving the arm I6 to retaining position against the magazine and releasingthe dog 61 thus allowing a limited downward movement of the contents of the corresponding magazine until stopped by said retaining arm I6. The corresponding shutter 4 will move into closed position as shown in Figure 4 as said retainer I4 again moves to its active position.

The customer may therefore select an article in either of the magazines and the selected article will be delivered upon the insertion of the proper coin into the coin slot.

Th'e drawings and description are illustrative merely, but the invention is not intended to be restricted to the precise form shown otherwise than as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A vending machine comprising a magazine shaped to contain articles of merchandise to be vended and having a discharge opening toward which the articles are movablbe by gravity, retaining means normally in position to prevent discharge of the articles through the opening and movable to another position to permit the discharge of a single article and to simultaneously prevent discharge of the other articles in the magazine, electro-magnetic means for actuating the retaining means to said other position to perhowever, will grad- Y mit suchv discharge and to temporarily delay return of the retaining means to said normal retaining position and means effective to cause the return of said retaining means to retaining position.

2. A vending machine comprising a magazine shaped to contain articles of merchandise to be sold and having a discharge opening towardv of the load in the magazine other than the releas-ed article.

3. A vending machine comprising a cabinet, a plurality of magazines therein for containing articles to be vended, each having a discharge opening, a separate retainer for each magazine normally yin position to prevent discharge of articles from the respective magazines, an electromagnetic means; under the control of an operator, for each retainer to selectively actuate the same to releasing position to allow discharge of the articles successively from the respective magazines, a relay, a circuit connecting the relay with the electro-magnetic means including a switch' eiective to connect the selected electromagnetic means with the relay and a coin operated switch controlling the relay.

4. A vending machine comprising a magazine shaped to contain articles of merchandise to be vended and having a discharge opening toward which the articles are movable by gravity, said magazine having a slot adjacent its discharge end, a retainer pivotally mounted on the magazine and having a retaining arm working through the slot into position to prevent discharge of articles through the opening, mechanical means connected to the retainer and normally operative to holdtsaid arm in retaining position, a dog on said retainer movable through the slot, said arm being movable to another--fposition-to permit the discharge of a single article and to simultaneously move said dog into position to prevent discharge of the other articles in the magazine, electro-magnetic means for actuating the retaining means to said other position to permit such discharge, said electro-magnetic means also including means to temporarily delay return of the retaining arm to its normal retaining posiion.

' LOUIS PETERS. 

